“There are often moments of crisis and extreme pressure when working in a theater to mount a new production with an entire crew and company standing by waiting for guidance and instruction. But those moments vanish and transform into simply solvable problems when Jack is steering the ship. At moments like that, with preternatural skill,  Jack has the ability to calmly stand tilted egos upright and get everyone on the same page. This gift ,while invaluable, runs a distant second place to the artistry and technical expertise with which he illuminates and completes an artists vision as it makes the transition from studio to stage. Within his means are both practical solutions when called for and leaps of the imagination when required. He is the very definition of collaborator, and always with grace under pressure."

Lar Lubovitch
Choreographer & Founder
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company

“At Richmond Ballet, we were lucky enough to be introduced to Jack Mehler as a guest lighting designer by choreographer, Kate Skarpetowska, in the spring of 2022. Jack is a delight in the theater and out and I am always grateful to find collaborators whose personal integrity matches their artistic excellence.”

Stoner Winslett
Artistic Director
Richmond Ballet

“Jack Mehler is an innovative and dynamic scenic and lighting designer. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jack since 2014 and I’ve never met a more kind, generous and passionate spirit as Jack. He is a true professional.”

Kevin Chappell-Hill
Producing Artistic Director
North Shore Music Theatre

"Jack Mehler is one of those incredibly intuitive lighting designers who is able to paint the space and nestle your ballet within it. He is a visual artist with a deep knowledge of his craft, who is terrifically skilled at creating magical worlds under often stressful circumstances. Jack is a true collaborator, sensitive to various artistic viewpoints and who is able to keep a sense of joy throughout the production process." 

Katarzyna Skarpetowska
Choreographer

"I love to work with Jack any time the opportunity arises. His combination of creativity, technical knowledge, collaboration and calm demeanor have made him a favorite of both our Artistic and Production teams. Jack knows how to push the artistic boundaries to create beautiful art while at the same time ensuring that everyone has a wonderful experience in getting to the end result. Jack can do beautiful things with any budget size. Throughout the year, Jack continues to surprise and delight our audiences with his creativity. I will always highly recommend Jack to anyone."

Jamie Lara
General Manager
BalletMet

“Jack is always able to bring my vision to life. There is nobody more collaborative, efficient, and creative. When I know that Jack is able to be a part of my production team, I breathe a sigh of relief. He is extremely skilled at identifying solutions to challenges that various venues and theaters present. Whether a touring house, a major regional theater, a cruise-ship, or a non-traditional performance space, Jack makes everything look like a million bucks!”

Daniel C. Levine
Artistic Director
A.C.T. of Connecticut ​

"Jack Mehler is a Director of Musicals’ dream. He has a unique understanding of how the lighting must accompany the “beat” changes in the musical score and the importance of supporting/creating a choreographer’s vision.  His thorough preparation for the tech process, particular when working in a two-week rehearsal period, has been a gift for this director.  Jack is a talented collaborator and a joy to work with."  

Charles Repole
Director

“Jack is the definition of a creative collaborator. Not only does his work highlight, focus, and underline the work of the director and choreographer, he also brings bold, creative ideas to the table that make me (the director) look at the piece in a new way. He is always on my lighting designer short list!”

Jason A. Sparks
Director/Choreographer

"Jack is one of the most collaborative designers I have had the pleasure to work with. He thinks outside the box and brings ideas to the table that I did not think of only to open new doors to greater ideas. Jack is an absolute asset to any design team."

Robert Cuccioli
​Director/Performer

“I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Jack on two different set designs – one for an oft-produced musical, and one for a world-premiere. Jack brings the perfect mix of innovator and pragmatist to the process. His set designs are a pleasure to stage on, because they support the story so beautifully, and they are also wonderfully creative and surprising, full of delight for the audience.”

Michelle Tattenbaum
Director

"Jack Mehler has been an incredible leader at Trollwood Performing Arts School since 1996 and has designed both scenery and/or lighting, often times both, for 23 of our annual large-scale outdoor summer musicals. In addition, Jack served as a critical player throughout the design and construction of our venue, Bluestem Center for the Arts. Jack's creativity and design skills are both extraordinarily clever and brilliant. Working with limited budgets, Jack is able to create magic in our beautiful outdoor amphitheater with his imaginative designs. Jack is organized, efficient, a collaborator, and very personable. Trollwood and Bluestem Center for the Arts would not be the successful organization it is today without Jack's positive contributions."

Kathy Anderson
Executive Director 
​Trollwood Performing Arts Center

“The New Victory Theater has been very fortunate to have Jack Mehler as our Lighting Director for the 6 years we have been producing our dance festival, New Victory Dance.  Jack is tasked to work with all companies in the festival (12 per year) to incorporate all of their lighting needs into the repertory plot.  Each and every year I am impressed at his ability to successfully work with companies of varying experience levels to translate their lighting needs into a plot that will work for the entire festival and our budget.  Jack is a joy to work with in all phases of production and is someone that our crew always look forward to having around because he is so on top of his game.”

Dave Upton
Director of Production
​The New 42nd Street